Late Fall, Early Winter Temperature Forecasts

By Chrissy Warrilow

Published Sep 25 2013 12:11 PM EDT

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The Weather Channel Companies have released their fall/early winter temperature outlook for 2013. What's in store, temperaturewise, for the nation as we round out the last few months of 2013? Experts at Weather Services International (WSI) give us the latest.

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Seasonal Outlook: October-December

For a large majority of the lower 48 states, above-average temperatures are expected this fall.

Temperatures are expected to be the most above average in Texas and Louisiana westward through the central and southern Rockies and parts of the Desert Southwest. Warmer than average conditions are also expected in New England to the Southeast, then westward through the central Plains to the West Coast.

One pocket of the country, from the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley westward through the Northern Plains, is expected to see temperatures cooler than average this fall. This would include Chicago, Detroit and Fargo, N.D.

"The lack of significant heat in the eastern U.S. this past summer combined with a lackluster tropical season have resulted in a relative lack of market-sensitive weather events compared to recent years," said WSI chief meteorologist Dr. Todd Crawford. "However, recent trends in both climate models and our statistical models are becoming more suggestive of a cold start to the heating season, especially by November, across the population-rich areas of the north-central and Great Lakes states."

October-December Outlook (Compared to Average)

October

November

December

Northeast

Warmer

Warmer

Warmer

Southeast

Warmer

Cooler

Warmer

North Central

Warmer

Cooler

Cooler

South Central

Warmer

Warmer

Warmer

Northwest

Warmer

Warmer

Warmer

Southwest

Warmer

Warmer

Warmer

Although winter is still months away, Crawford offers a glimpse of what to expect.

"An early look at indicators for the upcoming winter suggest that the back half of winter may be characterized by more widespread cold," he said.

The Weather Channel Seasonal Forecast is produced at WSI's Global Forecast Center in Andover, Mass. As part of The Weather Channel Companies (TWCC), WSI provides premier business-to-business weather services to media, aviation and energy industries, as well as specialized forecasts for public distribution on The Weather Channel and weather.com. More than 200 meteorologists at TWCC Global Forecast Centers in Atlanta, Andover, Houston and Birmingham, England, produce pinpoint daily forecasts for more than 60,000 locations worldwide and other specialized forecasts and visualizations utilizing state-of-the-art and proprietary computer modeling, analysis and distribution systems developed by TWCC scientists and engineers.